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   You are at NWS Houston/Galveston » Tropical Weather » 2008 Hurricane Season

2008 Hurricane Season Highlights

The 2008 Hurricane Season officially kicks off on June 1st. Southeast Texas had a very close call just last year when rapidly strengthening Hurricane Humberto made a September landfall just to the east of High Island. We will not soon forget our area's massive evacuation just three seasons ago prior to the September landfall of Hurricane Rita just to our east along the Texas-Louisiana border. Before Rita, the Houston/Galveston area has been very lucky over the past two decades or so as far as landfalling hurricanes go - Hurricane Jerry made landfall in October 1989 near Jamaica Beach (Galveston Island) and the area's last major hurricane, Alicia, made landfall back in August 1983 on the west end of Galveston Island. This season will mark the 25th anniversary of Alicia, the area's last major hurricane.

Now is the time to get ready for the 2008 hurricane season. The Houston/Galveston National Weather Service Office will hold its annual Hurricane Workshop on Saturday, June 7th, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. This year's theme is "Ready or Not." As always, admission is free and open to the public.

Dates and times for additional area hurricane meetings can be found here.

During the workshop, Bill Read, the new Director of the National Hurricane Center, will give an update on recent improvements in hurricane forecasting and what the 2008 Hurricane Season has in store for Texas. Also, local Emergency Management experts will be on hand to explain the latest plans for hurricane preparedness along the upper Texas coast.

The popular kids area will once again feature interactive learning activities. Kids will learn about tropical cyclones and how to prepare for an approaching hurricane through a fun, educational experience that teaches them to respect, but not fear, these strong storms. There will also be a number of vendors on hand displaying items related to hurricane preparedness. Many items will also be given away on a first-come, first-served basis, such as hurricane tracking charts, tip sheets, a comprehensive booklet on hurricanes from the National Weather Service, as well as other vendor-provided items.

The 2008 Hurricane Workshop is once again being sponsored by CenterPoint Energy (for the fourth year in a row), the City of Houston and the National Weather Service. Harris County Office of Emergency Management, Interfaith Ministries, and the Weather Museum are also active participants in making this a successful educational event. Updates on the event program and registration information can be found prior to the event on the web here.

We hope to see you at the 2008 Hurricane Workshop on June 7th!

There is an opportunity for the general public to view NOAA's P-3 Hurricane Hunter Aircraft on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 from 3 PM to 5 PM at Galveston Scholes Field. More details can be found here.

Here are some internet links to help you out this hurricane season. Take a look and take to heart...this could be our year!

General Information and Preparedness Links

. Tropical Weather Outlook
. National Hurricane Center
. National Hurricane Preparedness Week
. 2008 Houston/Galveston Hurricane Workshop (June 7th, 2008)
. 2007 Houston Workshop Booklet [Note: file size ~12.9mb]
. 2006 Houston Workshop Booklet [Note: file size ~19.8mb]
. Additional Area Hurricane Meetings
. Evacuation Zones (Brazoria/Galveston/Harris Counties) - includes potential evacuation routes
. Evacuation Zones by zip code (Brazoria/Galveston/Harris Counties) - includes potential evacuation routes
. Southeast Texas Evacuation Corridors
. Texas Hurricane Evacuation and Sheltering Plan Materials (from Texas DEM)
. Tropical Cyclone FAQ
. Hurricane Threats
. Tidal Flooding
. More FAQ
. Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
. Tropical Cyclone Names
. Hurricane Plan Checklist
. Tropical Cyclones (from Jetstream - An Online Weather School)
. Tropical Cyclones and Flooding
. Hurricane Preparedness Guide...Unleasing Nature's Fury
. Gulf of Mexico Hurricane Tracking Chart
. Western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Hurricane Tracking Chart
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Page last modified: 2-Apr-2008 1015 GMT
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